The iconic arena rock act, touring as Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and best known for its hit We Built this City (On Rock and Roll), had been booked on a double bill with rocker Eddie Money at the Lady Antebellum Pavilion on Oct 12. The status of that concert became uncertain when Mark Abrahamian, the band’s guitarist, died suddenly after a concert in Nebraska Sunday night. Joe Mullins, one of the Evans concert’s promoters, said that the band would perform with a replacement guitarist.

Columbia County commissioners were prompted to ponder the price of precipitation during Tuesday’s meeting.

Martinez resident Pam Williams approached the commission with concerns about the stormwater system near her home. She said the failure of a storm drain Aug. 7 caused extensive flooding, bringing more than two feet of water into her home.

The home of a Martinez firefighter was damaged in a blaze early Thursday, and fellow firefighters are rallying to support one of their own.

The home at 2413 Moriah Road, Matthews, Ga., belonging to Keith and Genie Boulineau, caught fire after being struck by lightning at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning, according to Marc Peebles, Wrens Fire Department assistant fire chief. Peebles said over 50 percent of the house was damaged and it appeared a wire to a hot water heater melted due to a power surge, causing the fire.

A Columbia County grand jury recently indicted several people accused of violent crimes.

The grand jury indicted George Scott Dillard, 46, of Sugar Creek Drive in Grovetown, with kidnapping, burglary, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, two counts of cruelty to children, criminal trespass and stalking, according to court documents released Thursday.

A Martinez woman was arrested Wednesday for beating her elderly mother.

Laura Lynn Deese, 58, of Holiday Drive, was charged with aggravated battery and battery against a person who is 65 years or older.

Deputies responded to Eisenhower Army Medical Center on Fort Gordon late Tuesday after a 77-year-old woman came in for treatment for facial injuries. The woman, who lives on Holiday Drive with her daughter, Deese, told deputies that Deese has been physically abusing her for several months.

A Lakeside Middle School pupil was charged Tuesday for threatening his classmates.

A sixth-grade teacher told deputies that an 11-year-old pupil stood up in class and said out loud to all the students in class “I’m not racist. I’m going to kill all y’all,” according to an incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

While standing, the pupil made “a machine gun motion” and “fired” at the entire class.

The teacher also said the pupil drew pictures of different guns on his school paperwork.